Relaxation dynamics in tert-butylpyridine/tristyrene mixture investigated by broadband dielectric spectroscopy

We investigated, by means of dielectric spectroscopy, the relaxation dynamics of glass forming binary mixtures composed by the quite rigid polar molecules tert-butylpyridine dissolved in the apolar solvent tristyrene. By changing the relative concentration of the components we observed a transition from a relaxation scenario with a structural process and an excess wing to that with a structural process and a well resolved secondary process. Another relaxation process, slower than the latter, was observed, well below Tg. Our detailed analysis evidenced that the secondary relaxation with shorter relaxation time can be identified as the Johari-Goldstein relaxation for all the mixtures, whereas the new relaxation process was attributed to a different type of motion of tert-butylpyridine needing a larger amount of free volume for the molecular rotation.     

Influence of a reduced mobility layer on the structural relaxation dynamics of aluminum capped ultrathin films of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The structural dynamics of ultrathin polymer films of poly(ethylene terephthalate) capped between aluminum electrodes have been investigated by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. A deviation from bulk behavior, appearing as an increase of the relaxation time at a fixed temperature, is observed for films of thickness below 35 nm. The slowing down acts as a constant shift factor independent from the temperature, and the fragility is constant. The interfacial energy between aluminum and poly(ethylene terephthalate) is calculated to be 3 mJ/m2, confirming a strong interaction between polymer and substrate, which leads to the presence of a layer characterized by a reduced mobility at their interfaces. We proposed a mathematical schematization of a multylayer model that allowed qualitative reproduction of the observed thickness dependences of the static and dynamic properties. In terms of such a model, the upper limit for the thickness of the reduced mobility layer was estimated as 20 nm. The conditions to extend the proposed model to different observables are finally suggested.     

Time evolution of dielectric parameters during the crosslink of epoxy resins

The d.c. conductivity and the dielectric constant of an epoxy resin cured with a diamine were examined in a frequency interval extended up to 10¹⁰ Hz. The analysis of the dielectric behavior has permitted gaining a better knowledge of the relationships between dielectric parameters and the physical and chemical modifications of the systems. The results indicate that the chemical kinetics of the crosslink process is closely paralleled by the change in time of the dielectric parameters so that dielectrometry provides valuable information on conversion, relaxation times, glass transition temperature and gelation.     

β-Relaxation in polymethylacrylate studied by light scattering

Summary The relaxation processes of glass-forming polymethylacrylate have been studied in a wide temperature range above the glass transition temperatureT _g by means of light scattering measurements. Experimental spectra give evidence of a self-similar behaviourI(ω) ∝ ω^−(1−a) over a spectral range of 2–3 decades, consistent with the predictions of the mode-coupling theory. Different from the prediction of the theory, the value ofa is strongly temperature dependent. This behaviour has been attributed to the presence of a slow secondary relaxation located in the GHz frequency region, whose strength progressively increases with temperature. Paper presented at the I International Conference on Scaling Concepts and Complex Fluids, Copanello, Italy, July 4–8, 1994.     

Dynamics of supercooled and glassy dipropyleneglycol dibenzoate as functions of temperature and aging: Interpretation within the coupling model framework

Dielectric relaxation measurements of a typical small molecular glassformer, dipropyleneglycol dibenzoate show the presence of two secondary relaxations. Their dynamic properties differ in the equilibrium liquid and glassy states, as well as the changes during structural recovery after rapid quenching the liquid to form a glass. These differences enable us to identify the slower secondary relaxation as the genuine Johari-Goldstein (JG) beta-relaxation, acting as the precursor of the primary alpha-relaxation. Agreement between the JG beta-relaxation time and the independent relaxation time of the coupling model leads to predicted quantitative relations between the JG beta-relaxation and the alpha-relaxation that are supported by the experimental data.     

Decoherence via the dynamical casimir effect

We derive a master equation for a mirror interacting with the vacuum field via radiation pressure. The dynamical Casimir effect leads to decoherence of a superposition state in a time scale that depends on the degree of "macroscopicity" of the state components, and which may be much shorter than the relaxation time scale. Coherent states are selected by the interaction as pointer states.